Alma
by waterfallphoenix
Summary: I am alone. There's nothing left to do but become heartless. This is my story.
1. PROLOGUE

They came to destroy us.

They came to destroy us, and they will destroy us, unless we do something. But who will? The rules of District 13 state that one who takes the life of a friend or enemy without orders will be killed. And no one will give orders. No one has ever given orders to kill.

The soldiers of 13 simply stand there, watching the three figures approach from the woods. Everyone knows what they will do if we do not stop them, but no one dares move. They could be Peacekeepers. If they are Peacekeepers, there will be hundreds more waiting in the shadows. Even if they aren't Peacekeepers, most likely they didn't come alone.

Even the few soldiers who are ready for anything jump at a sudden sound. At first I am surprised, but when I see who made the sound, I scream.

I find myself running after him, hoping this is a dream. No, I hope this is a nightmare. If he does this, I will lose him forever. But I am awake, and I keep running. Tears cloud my vision, and dark hair falls in my face. I still do not stop.

Finally he slows, allowing me to catch up.

"Alma," he says. "Go back. Please."

I try to speak, but all I can do is shake my head.

He pulls me into his arms. "I promise I'll come back for you one last time," he whispers.

"I'm not going to leave you."

We stand there for what I wish was the longest moment in the world. Then he speaks again.

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _They strung up a man  
_ _They say who murdered three  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

He is not speaking. He is singing. This is the last song he will sing to me. I know there must be a meaning to these words, a reason why he chose them.

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Where the dead man called out  
_ _For his love to flee  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

He is singing about us, in the near future. He will be the dead man who murdered three. And he is calling out for me to flee. Flee from what?

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Where I told you to run  
_ _So we'd both be free  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

Now he is telling me to run. Run where? We will never both be free after this, no matter where I run.

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Wear a necklace of rope  
_ _Side by side with me  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

Everything makes sense now. He is asking me to go with him. Die with him. He wants me to run to him, so we'd both be free of life. But I can't.

"No. I can't do it. We have a daughter. Even if I can't stop you from doing this, I could never leave her knowing that it was my choice."

"Alma. Whether you choose to live or die, know that I love you."

"I love you." I can barely say it through my tears.

And he runs toward the three figures who have come to destroy District 13.

* * *

Maybe I'm a slow thinker, or maybe it took a while for me to believe that I'm not dreaming, but the next thing I know, a voice speaks to me. "Soldier Coin?"

I turn around to show that I am listening.

"If you are not already aware of this, your husband is dead. He killed without orders. The reason for his death is to remain secret."

I nod, and whoever was speaking leaves. I stand up from the rock I was sitting on and start walking. Maybe if I find the hanging tree, I won't spend too much time trying to figure out whether I'm dreaming or not, because I may have to convince myself more than once.

I look up at the sky. District 13 is underground, so I almost never see it. It's beautiful, the stars, the moon... the moon is right above me. Midnight. Looking back at the forest, I stare, shocked, at what is right in front of my eyes. It is the hanging tree, with his body on it. Midnight in the hanging tree. I think of the song, singing it as it rings in my ears.

 _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

I don't know what I feel, staring at his body. His life taken when they saw him take three. What they didn't know was how many he saved.


	2. CHAPTER I

I had to tell everyone that he died because of the illness. I wish I could have told everyone the truth. Ever since his death was confirmed, I have wanted to tell the whole district how unfair it was. He saved every single person here, and they killed him. But I have to say that it was this illness that caused his death, as well as the deaths of half the children in 13. I only tell one person how he really died. And I almost lied to her, too. But I couldn't lose her knowing that I lied to her about her father's death. They tell me her chances of survival are low, but if I lose hope, she will too. And if she loses hope, there really is none. I keep telling her that she can recover, that she can live. But I'm not just trying to tell her. I'm trying to tell myself. For a week I ignore the ink on my arm, not caring what the consequences will be. Every moment I stay with her, not letting go of the small hope that she will live, that I won't be alone.

* * *

I find out that she will not survive. I will lose her within 24 hours. She will be asleep, and her death will be painless. I cannot control the tears flowing from my eyes. Within 24 hours, I will lose the last person I know I love. Within 24 hours, I will be alone.

* * *

Only a week ago, I had a family. People I cared about. Now I have no one.

I am alone.

His last song still rings in my ears. Before I can think, I find myself running. I can barely see through tears, hair, and darkness, but I know where I am going. I can hear the song more clearly than ever, even though there is no sound.

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _They strung up a man  
_ _They say who murdered three  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Where the dead man called out  
_ _For his love to flee  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Where I told you to run  
_ _So we'd both be free  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Wear a necklace of rope  
_ _Side by side with me  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._


	3. CHAPTER II

I am alone.

This is not a dream.

I am alone.

I am alone.

It takes me far longer than I expected to accept the fact that I am alone and I will be alone forever. Now that I have, I don't know what to do. I try to just follow the schedule on my arm every day, but I get bored without anything, or anyone, to keep me busy in the small amount of time when the purple ink does not control me. I wish they were still here. I wish I had not lost them. But nothing can bring them back.

* * *

While I think about what I'm going to do for the rest of my life, someone discovers that the three men were Peacekeepers. They were sent by Coriolanus Snow. It is then that I discover that I enjoy thinking about the rebellion. I realize that for me, it means more than freedom.

It means revenge.

After a while, I have thought about so many details of this rebellion that only one thought is left. _What if I led it?_ I could do anything. I could create a new Hunger Games, one with the Capitol's children. Yes. This is what I want. I want to lead the rebellion. And once the Capitol is defeated, and Snow is dead, I will lead all of Panem. This is something I can do alone. This is something I will do alone.

It will be a very long time before I really come to the tree.

And when I do, it will be as the leader of Panem.


	4. CHAPTER III

I am President Alma Coin of District 13.

For 73 years, 13 has been watching every Hunger Games for any sign of rebellion.

The reaping for the 74th Hunger Games is today.

District 1. Two Careers, Marvel and Glimmer. No surprise there. District 2. Cato and Clove, more Careers. District 3. District 4. District 5. District 6. District 7. District 8. District 9. District 10. District 11. At District 12, I'm almost ready to stop watching. Nothing ever happens in 12. Except... Effie Trinket pulls a name out of the ball. Primrose Everdeen. Primrose is about twelve. "I volunteer as tribute!"

That's never happened before.

Katniss Everdeen volunteered to save her sister.

But not really from the games. From the Capitol. The Capitol that takes family away just for entertainment. Maybe Katniss Everdeen will do one useful thing before she dies.

* * *

Watching the interviews is crucial in finding a spark of revolution, yet I find myself nearly falling asleep while Caesar Flickerman interviews the tributes from Districts 1 and 2. No one in their right mind trains their whole life for something like this only to spark a rebellion. The Capitol would torture you in so many ways you would begin to wonder whether it was worth it, even if the rebellion succeeds.

I'm barely even paying attention to any of this. Nothing will happen until District 12. If anything happens at all.

"Because she came here with me."

It immediately catches my attention, unlike anything any tribute has said before. Perhaps Katniss Everdeen isn't the one who will spark a rebellion. Perhaps it will be Peeta Mellark.

I decide to keep an eye on both of them.

* * *

60.

In one minute, the 74th Hunger Games will begin.

50.

Not like anything will ever happen in any Hunger Games.

40.

Except death.

30.

The Capitol killing people.

20.

Like they killed my family.

10.

Like they will kill 23 people who also have family.

9.

But they won't be alone.

8.

The Capitol needs to really hate you to do that.

7.

Just like they really hate me.

6.

And all the victors who did things that the Capitol considered to be rebellious.

5.

And even those victors who didn't do anything rebellious are under the control of the Capitol.

4.

The Capitol controls everyone.

3.

Whoever doesn't do whatever the Capitol tells them to gets killed.

2.

That's why no one ever tries to rebel against them.

1.

Maybe after 74 years someone will.

0.

The games have begun.

* * *

 _Just eat the berries!_

The spark will be weaker if the Capitol gives Romeo and Juliet a happy ending. The more lives the Capitol saves, the less people truly _want_ to rebel.

The odds, never in our favor, say that the Capitol will let them live.

Reality agrees.

But even if it's a weakened spark, it's still a spark. That's all we need.

I smile to myself. One step closer to ruling Panem. One step closer to revenge.


	5. CHAPTER IV

They all took her side. Of course they did.

"Katniss is famous for being the Girl On Fire, not Peeta."

"Katniss volunteered and saved her sister. Peeta was reaped. She's the better leader."

"Everyone loves Katniss. More people will stand with her."

Peeta would be a better leader. He's natural at it. He's infinitely better with words than Katniss. Maybe more people would stand with Katniss now, but Peeta would be able to convince many more to come over to our side.

But eventually I had to give in. If I don't go with the popular vote, I will seem like the cruel dictator who never takes advice. And if I do, I'll never lead Panem. I need to take over slowly.

I suppose this was just my first great sacrifice. Surely there will be more to come.

But will they be worse? Will they even be worth it?

* * *

 _Revenge._

That one word makes up half of my thoughts these days. It's the only word that keeps me going. If it weren't for revenge, I don't know why, or if, I would be doing this. I probably wouldn't.

We may be close to the end. We may be close to victory. But I'm tired of waiting.

I want revenge.

But is it really revenge I want? Am I just telling myself it's revenge to cover up my own desire of blood?

Then again, revenge is the very reason this desire of blood exists. If they were still here, I probably wouldn't have cared about any of this.

So I remind myself that I'm doing this for revenge before I stop caring.


	6. CHAPTER V

_Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _They strung up a man  
_ _They say who murdered three  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

It's his song Katniss is singing.

I don't know why, or how she heard it, or how it got to District 12. I just want the music to stop. I can't bear to hear this song, _his_ song, sung by someone else. It's like it was stolen. It was his song to me. It shouldn't be the song they use for a propo.

It's not like I can say that, though. No one here knows about my past and I want to keep it that way. The world needs to see me as a true leader, not just another person who wants revenge. There are plenty of those, and if they saw me that way, I'd be replaced in an instant. This isn't worth giving up my power for.

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Wear a necklace of hope  
_ _Side by side with me  
_ _Strange things did happen her  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

Necklace of hope. Necklace of hope.

Part of me hates them for doing anything to ruin the song, _his_ song.

But even just the change of one letter does something to make it a different song completely. Now it feels like it's someone else's song Katniss is singing.

I think it's better this way. Just for the propo.

But still, it doesn't change the fact that it's his song.


	7. CHAPTER VI

"It's too extravagant."

That was the excuse I used for how strongly I felt against the wedding. I tried to hide it. After all, they deserve a wedding and we need a propo. But seeing two lovers together happily brings back the pain, and the anger that it couldn't have been me with a happily ever after.

I probably should be over this by now. But some scars never fade.

* * *

The Mockingjay has done all she can to help us. Maybe one of her conditions was that she gets to kill Snow, but that won't happen if the rebellion dies. There's only one thing she can do.

Die.

And what better way to accomplish that than to send the love of her life into the arena with her for a third and final time?

* * *

Finally.

The rebellion succeeded. Now I need to gradually take over the world. I'll start with one "final" Hunger Games, with Capitol children. The remaining victors will vote; I'm sure the results will be in favor.

Johanna, Enobaria, Katniss, and Haymitch vote yes. Peeta, Annie, and Beetee vote no.

Happy Hunger Games to all the Capitol children I didn't bomb. May the odds be ever in your favor, just like they have been all your lives.


	8. CHAPTER VII

In a matter of moments, my revenge will come. In a matter of moments, Coriolanus Snow will be dead. In a matter of moments, the Mockingjay's arrow will hit its mark.

I've been waiting for this moment all my life. It's the moment I can finally rule the world. Once Snow is out of the way, I will be the only one left to rule Panem. I will kill off the Capitol's children and even the rest of them just like they killed off ours. This is not the final Hunger Games. There will be at least 75 more. Only then will we truly be even.

All of Panem watches as Katniss takes her single arrow and draws back her bow, aiming for President Snow, her enemy, my enemy, all of our enemy. I stand, waiting for it to hit him.

It doesn't.

Instead, it hits me. And I'm sure I know why.

Because I would have become another President Snow. Maybe even worse.

The Mockingjay has done much for all of Panem, just by tilting her only arrow.


	9. EPILOGUE

_Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _They strung up a man  
_ _They say who murdered three  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

I don't care if I'm dreaming. I don't care if I'm dead. He's here in front of me, holding me in his arms. Tears form in my eyes. I open my mouth to say something.

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Where the dead man called out  
_ _For his love to flee  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

He places a finger on my lips. "I know," he whispers. "I still love you."

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Where I told you to run  
_ _So we'd both be free  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

"I failed. I should have stayed with you." The tears spill over.

 _Are you, are you  
_ _Coming to the tree  
_ _Wear a necklace of rope  
_ _Side by side with me  
_ _Strange things did happen here  
_ _No stranger would it be  
_ _If we met at midnight  
_ _In the hanging tree._

~end~


End file.
